Puzzles



Nov. 19, 1968 R. ACE ETAL PUZZLES Filed April l4, 1966 M w w m 0 o WWL 4 n! 0 0 I 7 i H 5 q M K C6 R WA w o WDR W 1 L A N N w 5 H a I \a Y F B a H United States Patent PUZZLES Ronald Ace, 1704 M St., West Belmar, NJ. 07719, and John N. Ricci, 22 De Forest Ave., Red Bank, NJ.

Filed Apr. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 542,628 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-159) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to puzzles and, particularly, a device of this type and kind formed from two generally similar parts, coupled together by a rod-like member forming the initial support for an operating loop or member movable relatively to the joined parts of the puzzle in the solution of the puzzle. More particularly, the invention deals with a puzzle structure, wherein each part comprises a closed frame having wide and narrow end portions and a U-shaped frame fixed to the narrow end of said closed frame.

Still more particularly, the invention deals in a puzzle of the character defined, wherein portions of the frames of each part are angularly disposed and overlapped.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one side of the puzzle showing, in full lines, the initial mounting of the operating loop or member thereon and indicating, in dot-dash lines, a first step in actuation of said member in solving the puzzle.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the puzzle, as seen in FIG. 1, showing part of the operating loop.

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the reverse side of the puzzle and indicating diagrammatically, in full lines, a second step in the operation of said member in solving the puzzle.

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 3, showing, in part in full lines, an advanced positon of the operating member and, in dot-dash lines, a further advanced position of said operating member; and

FIG. 5 is again a reverse position of the puzzle from that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with the operating member diagrammatically illustrated in full lines in another step in its operation from the position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 4 and illustrating, in part in dot-dash lines, a further position of the operating member, preparatory to removal thereof from the puzzle in a solution of the puzzle.

The puzzle comprises two similar parts 10, and, from this standpoint, in making reference to the primed parts which have been applied to the drawing, the description will be given as identifying one of the common parts.

Each of the parts comprises a closed frame 11, 11, having wide end walls 12, 12' defining a wide end of the Patented Nov. 19, 1968 "ice 'or joined with the wall 13, 13'. Extending from the ends of 18, 18' are generally parallel side arms 19, 19' terminating, at their ends, in loops or eyes 20, 20.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the wide end portion of the frames 11, 11' is angularly offset, as seen at 21, 21'. Also, the arms 19, 19' are angularly oifset and substantially parallel to 21, 21', as seen at 22, 22. The remainder of each frame 11, 11' is also offset slightly with respect to the rod 24, as seen at 23, 23'. All of the latter references are applied only to FIG. 2 where the various angularities are clearly shown. In this connection, all of the reference characters referred to have been fully applied to FIG. 1, but they will only be applied, in part, to the other figures.

In assembling the two parts 10, 10', a coupling rod 24 is employed. The rod ends are cemented or otherwise secured to 13, 13' or 18, 18'. In this connection the parts 10, 10" can be formed of any material. One economical form could be to mold the parts 10', 10' of suitable plastic material. One die contour only would be required, as both parts are identical, and simply arranged in reverse position. The other part for making the puzzle assembly is the rod 24, which integrally joins the two parts in the assemblage, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1

and 2 of the drawing.

In assembling the parts 10, 10, the wide ends of the frames 11, 11' are passed through both arms 19, 19 of an opposed part in producing the assemblage. The rod 24 is arranged below the wall 12' and above the wall 12, as viewed in FIG. 1, and secured to 13, 13 or 18, 18, as stated above.

On completing the assemblage, a generally rectangular puzzle will be produced, which is relatively thin, as noted in FIG. 2, thus facilitating packaging and shipment of the puzzle.

At 25 is shown what we term an operating loop or member of the puzzle. This member can be formed of any flexible strand, being sealed, as at 26. The seal at 26 is important, as a. control element or portion of the member is thus provided, which simplifies solution of the puzzle, noted below.

The member 25 is normally mounted on the rod 24, as seen in full lines in FIG. 1, and the object is to remove the member 25 from the puzzle.

With the puzzle in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control 26 is grasped in the fingers of a hand and the member 25 is looped around arms 19', as indicated in dot-dash lines at 27 in FIG. 1. The puzzle is now turned over, as seen in FIG. 3, and 26 is passed beneath 12, as diagrammatically seen in full lines at 28. Then 25 is moved to the position shown, in part in full lines, at 29, FIG. 4, where member 25 is readily slidable over 16' and moved to the position shown in dot-dash lines at 30 in FIG. 4.

In this position, the member 25 is over 15 and under 12, as well as being beneath 18.

The next step is to again reverse the puzzle to the position shown in FIG. 5 and to then pass 26 beneath 12', as shown in full lines at 31. The member 25 is now moved to the dot-dash position shown, in part, at 32, with 25 beneath 15 and 24 and above 19. From this position, it will appear that the member 25 can be readily removed from the puzzle by passage of the member downwardly around both of the arms 19 and the puzzle now solved.

The member 25 can be returned to the full line position of FIG. 1 by reversing the above named procedure, the start of which would be, first, to place the member 25 in the dot-dash line position at 32 and, then, reverse the passage of the member 25 beneath 12.

While the puzzle can be actually solved by picking up any area of the loop member 25 so long as this one area is held in the hand and moved in accordance with the above instructions, a solution can be effected, if various other areas of the loop or member 25 are engaged in the effort to solve the puzzle, the solution can become highly involved and proper solution would take a long period of time. In other words, the creation of the control end 26 is desirable, at least from the standpoint of giving instructions to a pupil as to solving the puzzle.

From a standpoint of appearance and, again, simplifying the solution, one part 10 might be colored white, the companion part 10 might be colored blue and the rod 24 could be red and, in constructing the puzzle of plastic material, it is simply a matter of using plastics of the colors named. Admittedly, various different color combinations could be employed. Here again, the loop or member 25 could be a golden strand or a strand of any other color, contrasting to the colors of the other parts of the puzzle. Here, it will be apparent that the instructions for solving the puzzle would also be simplified by referring to the colors of the different frame parts.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A puzzle comprising two similar parts joined by a rod and an operating loop-type member normally anchored to said rod, said rod spacing said parts one from the other, each of said parts comprising a closed frame having wide and narrow end portions and a U-shaped frame comprising a crosshead joining the narrow end of the closed frame, said U-shaped frame having spaced parallel side arms, terminal ends of the side arms of one of said U-shaped frames being spaced from the respective terminal ends of the side arms of the other U-shaped frame, the wide end portion of each closed frame being angularly offset, the end portions of said side arms being angularly offset in substantially parallel spaced relationship to the offset of said closed frame, the offset of the arms of one part overlying the offset end of the closed frame of the other part, the other portions of each closed frame being slightly offset with respect to said rod, and said rod being arranged between the offsets of said wide end portions.

2. A puzzle as defined in claim 1, wherein the wide end portion of each closed frame joins the narrow end portion of the frame in converging sides.

3. A puzzle as defined in claim 2, wherein ends of the wide end portions of the closed frames are parallel.

4. A puzzle as defined in claim 1, wherein the frame 7 work of the puzzle is generally oblong and rectangular in form and relatively thin as viewed edgewise, and the various components of the complete puzzle are of different colors.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,091,191 8/1937 Van Luven 273--l59 3,222,072 12/1965 Dreyer 273157 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,971 1891 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

